Abdallah Al Shahani, a popular Saudi Arabian actor and television personality was recently arrested for dabbing at a concert in his home country of Saudi Arabia, the BBC reports.
While performing at a music festival in Taif over the weekend, he — yep, you guessed it — dabbed.
When a video surfaced of Shahani performing the dab, it immediately went viral on social media.
Shahani was arrested because dabbing is banned in the Wahhabi-majority country. Saudi leaders set the ban because they believe the move both references and supports drug culture.
The Saudi Interior Ministry’s National Commission for Combating Drugs explicitly denounced dabbing as referring to marijuana use.
The ministry published a poster depicting the dab and warning “people about the dangers of this [move] on the youth and society, and is warning against imitating it.”
The Saudi celebrity apologized via twitter on Tuesday. “I apologize to our respected government and to my audience for unintentionally and spontaneously making the dance move at the Taif festival. Please accept my apology.”
السلام عليكم .. اقدم أشد اعتذاري لحكومتنا الرشيدة وجمهوري العزيز على الحركة
(العفوية الغير مقصوده ) في مهرجان الطائف
تقبلوا اعتذاري ..— عبدالله الشهراني (@Shaharani1A) August 6, 2017
Both Shahani performing the move, and his subsequent arrest have divided the country's Twitter users.
Saudi journalist Ayed Al Ayed, watched the video and noticed audible screaming on the part of young women in the audience. He did not like that at all. In response, he tweeted, “Young woman, your screaming continues and I find it very disturbing. Whoever breaks the law gets arrested. Thank you to the security forces.”
Another user, @brakalhmede tweeted, “This move has an obvious negative influence on people. No matter what his explanation is, it’s unacceptable.
حركة"الداب"تأثيرها السلبي واضح.! فالتبرير غير مقنع لي،بهذه الحالة أي حركة تظهر وتزعج الاخرين سأقول عفوية!! #متسابق_بدايه_يروج_لرقصه_الداب
— براك الحميضي (@brakalhmede) August 9, 2017
However, television host @Kemmooalharbi stepped out in support of Shahani. “I’m sure it was just an accident because I personally know this man and his morals, and he has apologized and shown people that he wasn’t aware of the meaning of the move.”
أجزم انها حركة عفويه منه لاني ع اطلاع شخصي بأخلاق الرجل
واعتذر وبيّن للناس خطأه وانه غير مدرك لمعنى الحركه#متسابق_بداية_يروج_لرقصة_الداب
— عبدالكريم الحربي???????? (@Kemmooalharbi) August 8, 2017